United States AttorneyWestern District of Oklahoma

Geronimo Man to Serve 210 Months in Prison for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – FLORENTINO VILLANUEVA, JR., 38, of Geronimo, Oklahoma, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Joe Heaton to serve 210 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

According to court records, a wide-ranging investigation revealed that Villanueva was linked to methamphetamine trafficking in the Comanche County area. During the execution of a search warrant at Villanueva’s house at 926 SW 35th Street in Lawton, Oklahoma, a Springfield Model XD .40 caliber pistol was discovered along with ammunition. Further investigation revealed that Villanueva had previous felony convictions in Comanche County for distribution of marijuana, first-degree robbery, and assault and battery on a police officer. Under federal firearms laws, Villanueva was prohibited from being in possession of any firearm or ammunition because of his prior felony convictions.

On September 3, 2013, Villanueva was indicted by a federal grand jury for being in unlawful possession of a firearm following his felony conviction. He pled guilty on November 22, 2013. At his sentencing hearing earlier this week, Judge Heaton found that due to Villanueva’s prior criminal history he was an Armed Career Criminal which resulted in an enhanced penalty increasing the minimum punishment to 15 years in prison.

In addition to sentencing Villanueva to serve 210 months, he was ordered to serve five additional years of supervised release after he is released from prison.

This sentence is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the Lawton Police Department, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark R. Stoneman.